Wagon end-gate



No Model.)

I. VAN WINKLE.

WAGON END GATE.

-N0. 455,370. Patented July '7, 1891.

' sponding parts.

.UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIICE.

ISAAC VAN WINKLE, on DYSART, IOWA.

WAGON E SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 455,370, dated July '7, 1891.

Application filed March 16, 1891;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC VAN WINKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dysart,in the county of Tama and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful I1nprovements in End-Gates; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an end-gate for a wagon-box, which is adapted to be easily locked to close the end of the box, automatically locks the end-gate in a hori zontal position when open, and permits of a wide range in the movement of the same.

The invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrcngemcnt of parts, ashereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the supports for the lower edge of the gate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- Referring to the drawings, A is a common wagon-box, and A the top box, this being the usual arrangement for hauling grain, and the like. On top of this is sometimes placed another box or rack used in hauling hogs, &c.

The end-gate proper-that is to say, the wooden part thereofconsists of an endboard' B, suitably stiffened and stayed by cleats b b, and two side-boards B, which, when the gate is in the position shown inFig. 1, overlap the box on the outside. Thelower edge of the gate rests on a pair of supports F, (one beingshown in the drawings,) extending back from the box, and near each side thereof. It will be seen that the outer end of the support curvesupwardly somewhat, so that the gate edge rests in a hollow in the support. In practice I make these supports or brackets in the form shown in Fig. 3, a simple stirrup of round iron fastened to the cleat a of the box by suitable nuts ff.

Near the upper end of the gate in each sid e is secured an eyebolt 0. Through the eye of this eyebolt passes the locking-lever D D.

Serial No. 385,223. (No model.)

gether near the middle. rod D is an eye, through which passes a bolt e, connecting it with the box A and serving as a pivot for the rod. end of the rod D forms a hook cl.

To the side of the box is secured a spring clamp or latch E E. This is a simple loop of spring-steel, one side of which is fastened to the box and the other side from the pivot bolt 6 outward is freeto spring outwardly. The end of the part E forms ahook adapted to catch and hold the lower end of the rod D. The end of the spring portion E should be turned out somewhat, as shown, to facilitate the entering of the rod between it and the hook. To look the parts the rod D is drawn in between the spring and the adjacent hook. To unlock the rod the operator springs it away from the box and slips it out.

It is to be understoodthat the device would be operative without the spring, simply a hook to hold the end of the rod D; but the spring is employed to give greater security to the parts.

The operation of the device Will nowbe understood. Referring to Fig. 2, or the dotted outline at the rear of the box in Fig. 1, the position of the parts will be apparent when the gate is down and the end of the box open. By this it will be seen that thelock-leve'r D' D is straightened out, the rod D resting on the edge of the side-board B, and the hook at the end holding in the eye of the eyebolt C. The rods thus form 'a pair of tie-rods, and in connection with the end of the box, against which the lower edge of the gate in this potion of parts also prevents the upper end of of the box, as will-be evident by reference to tlie motion of the parts, as indicated by the arcs y y z z. The center from which the are This consists oftwo rods D D, hinged to- In one end of the The corresponding sition abuts, holds said gate firmlyin the poagainst the joint in the rods, so that it is impossible to raise the gate. The same connec the gate from swinging away from the: end

1 y is struck is the lower outer angle of the gate, and indicates the path of the eye 0.

The other are shows the path of the joint of the rods, the center from which it is struck being the pivot-bolt e.

The upper dotted outline in Fig. 1 indicates a convenient position for the end-gate when a chute is not desired, as in unloading wheat, or the like. This admits of the front end of the box being tilted upward to dump the contents. The length of the tie-rods when straightened out admits of the end-gate being elevated much higher even than the top of the box shown, permitting it in fact to swing up over the top of the very high box or rack used for hauling hogs, &c.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the end-board BB, eyebolts C 0 near the upper end thereof and practically central with respect to the edge of the board B, the rods D D, passing through said eyebolts, the rod D being hinged to the box A and to the other rod, and the rod D having an outward curvature near the joint to allow space for the-eyebolt when the rods are brought together and to bear on the upper edge of the board B when down, and a terminal hook d, and the box A, having hooks E E and supports F F, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a wagon-box and end-board, substantially as described, of the jointed rods D D and the spring-catch E E, formed of a single piece, with a terminal hook to hold the rod D, and the body bent outwardly backwardly and forming a spring E,

the said rod D being pivoted between thebody of the said catch and the spring by means of a bolt e, attaching the catch to the wagon-box. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC VAN W'INKLE. \Vitnesses:

PETER WINKEL, E. J. KULLMER. 

